Veterans district court starts in Monroe County

Those who've been in wartime combat while serving in the U.S. military are human like anyone else, which means some of them get into trouble with the law after completing their tours of duty.

ANDREW SCOTT

Those who've been in wartime combat while serving in the U.S. military are human like anyone else, which means some of them get into trouble with the law after completing their tours of duty.

The difference is that some military veterans who've been in combat have mental health issues, related to post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, causing them to harm themselves or others.

These veterans stand out as a specific demographic among people accused of crimes, yet Monroe County has no treatment programs geared specifically to members of this demographic to help curb criminal behavior. And Monroe County veterans with mental health problems don't know where outside of the area to go for treatment.

Starting today, magisterial district court judges in Monroe and two other Pennsylvania counties will refer veterans facing non-traffic citations to optional treatment services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Non-traffic citations include harassment, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and other "summary" offenses less than misdemeanors and felonies. Citations are punishable by fines or, in some cases, county jail time if the fines go unpaid.

"Other counties in Pennsylvania and other states already have a veterans court program at the county or Common Pleas court level, but this is the first time it will be done at the district court level anywhere in the U.S.," said Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator Kim Sapolis at the Wilkes-Barre VA office covering northeastern Pennsylvania. "Monroe, Centre and Westmoreland counties are the first to host this pilot program at the district court level."

Under this program, veterans cited with a non-traffic summary offense are given the option of applying to take part in one or more types of treatment to address whatever mental health issues they have.

"Either the police ask if the person is a veteran when citing them or the judge asks that question when the veteran appears in court," Sapolis said. "Pennsylvania is considering legislation to put 'veteran' on the driver's licenses of those who've served to help identify them more easily."

A veteran who agrees to apply for treatment is referred to the Wilkes-Barre VA office for evaluation for services.

"The evaluation process is very detailed and involved," said Wilkes-Barre VA spokesman Vince Riccardo. "We look into any medical or psychiatric history, any prior criminal history, in which branch of the military and where the veteran served and other aspects of their background."

The Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center offers treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, as well as for by-product behaviors like alcohol and substance abuse, along with on-site residential rehabilitation, unemployment services and housing for homeless veterans. If the veteran is eligible and successfully completes treatment, they can then seek to have the citation erased from their record.

The program is definitely needed, said East Stroudsburg Magisterial District Judge Michael Muth, who helped Monroe join this pilot program.

"Twenty years ago, you couldn't find treatment services for veterans to save your life," he said. "In more recent years, federal funding has been made available for these services, so now veterans know there's help for them out there. And it's certainly a benefit to these people who served our country and to the community in general."

Monroe County President Judge Margherita Worthington, who oversees Monroe's county and district court operations, agrees.

"This is about addressing the root of the problem right at the beginning, when the veteran first makes contact with the criminal justice system under this new program," Worthington said. "The goal is to prevent recidivist criminal behavior by getting these veterans the help they need."

A "test case" of this new pilot veterans court program at the district court level occurred prior to the program officially starting today.

Stroudsburg Magisterial District Judge Kristina Anzini in May met with Karen Blackburn, the magisterial district judge coordinator for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts in Harrisburg, to discuss and learn more about the program. Anzini agreed it's a good idea.

In July, a Vietnam War veteran, whose identity Anzini has declined to release, appeared before her on littering and disorderly conduct citations.

Anzini saw the veteran clearly had mental health issues and was homeless at the time.

Anzini offered him the option of applying for treatment through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Wilkes-Barre office covering northeastern Pennsylvania. She contacted the VA's Sapolis in Wilkes-Barre, who agreed to evaluate the veteran to see if he's eligible for treatment.

The veteran agreed to apply for treatment and was found eligible. Since then, he has been in treatment at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center and has found housing through the program.